The Role of Railroads in the United States

The Role of Railroads in the United States

Introduction to Railroads

Invention of the steam engine and its initial applications

What do you already know about the historical development of railroads in the United States?

Fulton's Folly and Motorized Shipping

Success of Fulton's Folly and the emergence of motorized shipping

Expansion of the Railroad Network

U.S. railroad network growth from 1830 to 1850

Impact of the Gold Rush

California Gold Rush and the resulting Boomtowns

Government's Role in Railroad Expansion

Government involvement in the railroad expansion

Transcontinental Railroad

Linking of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads at Promontory Point in 1869

Homestead Act of 1862

The role of the Homestead Act in western settlement

Key Definitions

Fulton's Folly: Robert Fulton's steamboat which successfully navigated the Hudson River in 1807
Boomtowns: Rapidly growing towns that emerged during the Gold Rush
Promontory Point: The location in Utah where the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads were joined in 1869
Homestead Act of 1862: A law that offered settlers 160 acres of land in the West, provided they cultivate it for at least five years

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.